1909-11 T206 Pryor McElveen
1909–11 T206 Pryor McElveen
Brooklyn Superbas · National League · 350 Only print series · also a T213-1 Coupon back
The 1909–1911 T206 Pryor McElveen is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Pryor McElveen, a member of the historic Brooklyn Superbas (National League), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 6 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 914 examples have been graded, with only 24 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Pryor McElveen
Pryor Mynatt "Humpy" McElveen was a dead-ball utility infielder born November 5, 1881, in Atlanta, Georgia. He attended Carson-Newman College in Tennessee before turning pro, and made his name in the minors, captaining the 1908 Nashville Vols to the Southern Association pennant. Brooklyn brought him to the majors, where he debuted with the Superbas on April 26, 1909, at age 27. Primarily a third baseman, McElveen was a versatile handyman who over three seasons (1909-1911) with Brooklyn played every position on the diamond except pitcher. He never hit much in the majors, batting .209 with 4 home runs and 56 RBIs across 502 at-bats; his fullest campaign came in 1910. His most-cited brush with history came that season, when a disputed official-scorer's ruling credited him with an eighth-inning single that helped spoil a bid at a third career no-hitter by Hall of Fame Giants ace Christy Mathewson. After his brief big-league run ended in June 1911, McElveen continued in the minors and later returned to coach at his alma mater, Carson-Newman. He died October 27, 1951, in Pleasant Hill, Tennessee. As a common, non-star subject, his T206 card is an affordable, non-scarce piece of the set.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Confirmed backs (6)
Chip colour marks each back's rarity tier. See the full T206 back rarity ranking →
Population (PSA · SGC)
| Grader | Total | NM 7+ | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 & Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 570 | 22 | 38 | 73 | 143 | 101 | 115 | 78 |
| SGC | 344 | 2 | 6 | 39 | 46 | 94 | 62 | 95 |
NM 7+ bundles grades 7–10; 1 & Auth bundles grade 1, 1.5 & Authentic. Totals are subject-level (summed across all backs). Population as of 2026-06.
PSA by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| Piedmont 1910 | 350 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 58 |
| Sweet Caporal | 40 |
| Cycle 1910 | 11 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 4 |
| Tolstoi | 4 |
| Unknown back | 103 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 11 |
| Cycle 1910 | 6 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 240 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 85 |
| Sweet Caporal 1911 | 1 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 1 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Pryor McElveen card?
The Pryor McElveen is one of 524 subjects in the T206 "White Border" tobacco set issued 1909-1911, the hobby's most iconic vintage set (nicknamed "The Monster"). It pictures the Brooklyn Superbas player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 6 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 914 examples of the Pryor McElveen have been graded, with only 24 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Pryor McElveen come with?
The Pryor McElveen is confirmed with 6 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Cycle, Piedmont, Sweet Caporal, Tolstoi. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Pryor McElveen valuable?
Value depends heavily on the back brand and the card's grade: common backs in low grade trade modestly, while scarce backs and high grades command strong premiums. Check the current T206 Cards listings and eBay options above for live pricing.
More Brooklyn Superbas cards
Sources: t206resource.com, Baseball-Reference, PSA & SGC population reports, and Inside T206 by Scot Reader. Card data & population compiled and maintained by T206Cards.com. Page last updated 2026-07-01.